What kinds of forces does steel resist?

• A. Tensile and shear
• B. Compressive and bending
• C. Torsion and vibration
• D. Shear and torsion

Answer: (A)

Steel resists two fundamental force modes: pulling apart (tension) and sliding along a plane (shear). In many structural designs, these are the most critical stresses because a member must hold together under tension without elongating excessively, and joints must transfer loads without slipping. While steel also handles compression, torsion, and bending, bending is a combination of tension and compression across the section, and dynamic conditions like vibration describe movement rather than a basic force type. Focusing on tension and shear captures the primary ways steel resists loads effectively.